On My Mind Right Now

First: looking for places to donate to help with Jamaica’s hurricane recovery efforts? Here are some ideas (from this article). I will be choosing one today. Thinking of my Jamaican friends (lots of people from Jamaica in South Florida) and their families today.

Second: life is lifing. We had some disappointing news (NOTHING BIG, just like a little frustrating/sad) yesterday in the family and the news ricocheted into a collision course with my raging hormones at just the right moment, if you know what I mean. It HAS been helpful to track my cycle days right in my planner, btw! This way I absolutely cannot ignore that it’s day #26, and how that is likely playing into every facet of my existence, in subtle and less-subtle ways. I don’t know why I didn’t figure this out sooner.

Third: I am reading this:

I’ve always wanted to read this but never did because “I am not an artist”.

HOW MANY WORDS does one have to write before one can consider oneself at least somewhat creative? I have decided that I have met the quota. That said, I am always wary of methods where someone gives very hard-to-follow advice but then promises magic on the other side — it’s then so easy to be like “oh, it didn’t work? you didn’t do it hard enough!”. We will see how this plays out and whether I actually add morning pages to my AM routine. I WILL try it! (IS THIS BLOG my current version of morning pages? Julia Cameron would probably say no. Plus, I don’t usually write it in the morning these days.)

Maybe it will go hand in hand with my emerging (well fine, not yet emerging but maybe soon-to-be-emerging) hobby of fountain pens???

Also, I am almost finished with this which was recommended to me by a podcast listener. I actually listened on audio, since that was what the library had available (and I feel like a personal narrative is the best form of audiobook for me — though this was not narrated by its authors).

It’s upbeat and fun, and well-written (which makes sense, because Amanda Eyre Ward is a well-known novelist — and also a Williams grad 🙂 ). But . . . I could not really relate. For the authors, life was missing all sorts of vibrance due to the role alcohol played in their lives. FOR THEM, cutting out alcohol was an incredibly important key to enjoying the rest of life. I do think this book could very really helpful to others in their situations!

For me, personally? I just don’t really find it all that applicable. I did a lot of reflecting as I was listening, and feel that the (low) level of alcohol that I currently drink enhances my life experience just a little bit, and doesn’t really take away much, if anything. (I generally have one drink per week or so if I’m out at a restaurant or at a social event. I do drink more frequently on vacation when we go out to restaurants, but still stick to one on any given night. On RARE occasions I will have 2, like maybe twice a year.)

I do, however, appreciate how individual this is. I’m actually kind of GLAD I have recognized that I absolutely fail at moderating social media, because it helps me understand how people feel when they say they can’t have a little of something. I CANNOT have a little bit of Instagram. I will end up scrolling for hours and melt into a puddle of self-loathing and despair. So, I don’t. NOT BEING ON social media enhances my life, just like not drinking enhances Amanda + Jardine’s lives.

I know other people who can’t moderate processed carbs, or chocolate, or sugar. We are all different this way and I don’t think there’s a moral high ground on abstaining vs moderating these things. It’s about what each individual needs to help make the most of life.

And so, I’m glad I listened to it because it made me think, even if the content didn’t entirely fit my needs.